The present invention relates generally to shipping cases for bottles or containers and the like, and more particularly to a shipping case which can be converted into a display case for exposing the bottle contents therein without their removal from the case. The display function of the case is necessary for use in retail outlets, such as discount stores, supermarkets and pharmacies and the like to enable their proprietors to display selected products without shelving them.
Generally, the shipping cases are stacked one upon the other and the topmost shipping case is severed diagonally to remove the upper portion of the case from the lower portion and, thereby, expose the bottles or containers therein for selection by consumers. The severing process of the top portion from the bottom portion is generally effected with a knife or razor blade, and if not done carefully the knife edge can slice the bottles or labelling on the bottles or containers, thereby reducing their sales appeal to discriminating consumers.
In order to overcome this difficulty, what has been done conventionally is to place a liner (or corrugated fiberboard or the like) in surrounding relation about the bottles or containers internally of the case before the case is closed and sealed for shipping purposes. As a result, when the case is received in a sales outlet, the proprietor or his personnel can slice the case diagonally without the need for due care to remove the upper portion, the internal liner functioning to shield or protect the bottles or containers from the sharp edge of the blade.
A disadvantage associated with providing such a liner in a case is that the case must be treated or processed with an additional step of inserting the liner, thereby requiring unnecessary equipment, materials and expense. It is this and other disadvantages associated with conventional packaging that the present invention is directed at overcoming.